Left parties oppose TN's demolition drive

Chennai, May 17 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu units of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and CPI today condemned the DMK government for demolishing houses in the city suburbs and other parts of the state on different pretexts.

Denouncing the government's move, the Left parties demanded that the government should immediately drop the action or face a series of agitations along with affected people.

The CPI announced that it would stage protest demonstrations in front of the state government offices on May 19, against the government action.

In a statement here, CPI state secretary D Pandian said the government, citing various reasons, had demolished houses in city suburbs and Madurai yesterday and issued demolition notice in Tirunelveli.

Those who had lost their houses were living in these places for several decades, he said, adding, the government, on the one hand, was issuing house site pattas and on the other continuing this ''atrocity''.

Unless the government stopped the demolition of houses and huts, the CPI would mobilise affected people and launch a series of agitations, Mr Pandian warned.

CPI(M) North Chennai Secretary T K Shanmugam, in a statement, condemned the police lathicharging of the CPI(M) and CPI volunteers, who tried to prevent demolition of houses at suburban Thirumullaivoyil.

These houses were remaining for more than 30 years and the revenue department, after declaring that these places were not water bodies, assured that the houses would not be pulled down.

However, in a sudden move, about 30 houses were demolished indiscriminately, he said, adding, heart rending scenes were witneesed in the area as the people, all of a sudden, rendered homeless and thrown to the steets.

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